Michigan

Michigan linebacker Desmond Morgan, shown leaving the Wolverines' win over Notre Dame earlier this month, made a highlight-reel interception that saved the Wolverines on Saturday at Connecticut. (Patrick Record | MLive.com)

HARTFORD, Conn. -- No one will ever recapture the magic Michigan legend Charles Woodson showed when he made his magical one-handed, one-footed iconic interception at Michigan State in 1997.

But for Desmond Morgan, Saturday was pretty darn good enough.

With his team trailing by a touchdown, and the clock winding in the fourth quarter, Michigan's junior middle linebacker went up high with one hand -- and came down with a game-changing moment during the 15th-ranked Wolverines' 24-21 win at Connecticut on Saturday.

"Obviously that gave us some momentum," Michigan coach Brady Hoke said. "Des, really, pushed deeper in his drop -- which is what we needed -- because they're very good at throwing the dig or the skinny post.

"But he got deeper on it, and made a great play. And, he was a high school quarterback/running back -- so he went back to those days."

Morgan's one-handed interception was impressive enough, but his 29-yard return down to the Connecticut 12 was just as spectacular.

Weaving in and out of traffic, Morgan pushed deep into the red zone -- enough to set up a 12-yard touchdown run by Fitz Toussaint just one play later to tie the game at 21 each.

"That took me back a little bit," Morgan smiled. "I was just trying to read his eyes, and he threw it that was. I was just trying to make a play on it.

"But once I got the ball in my hands, it took me back to my high school days a little bit -- just trying to follow those blockers."

Morgan's interception was impressive to look at, but it likely overshadowed how big of a situation the play came in.

After Michigan worked to get back to within a touchdown in the third quarter, the Wolverines were dealt a massive blow to their comeback hopes early in the fourth when quarterback Devin Gardner was stopped short of a first down on a 4th and 2 from the UConn 22.

Michigan's momentum, which wasn't all that big to begin with, looked like it was gone -- and UConn's record crowd could sense an upset in the making.

Until, of course, Morgan changed all of that.

The interception seemed to also spark the rest of the defensive unit held the Huskies to just 31 yards over the final 9:55 of the game.

"I was just trying to get us some energy," Morgan said. "We preached all game long that we needed to try and get some momentum for our offense. Get a turnover, something. We needed to make big plays on defense.